Start With A Good Foundation

Frozen water expands any moist soil and can create immense upward lifting power. Then it contracts during a thaw and settles back to normal.

This all affects our decks and there are two ways of dealing with this.

Traditionally digging and setting the underside of deck footings or foundations below frost for ledger connected decks.

Or less expensive surface rested or ground anchored footings work well for floating or free standing decks.

I'll talk about both and point to a couple good articles as well as a really new product for concrete footings that is really quite an advancement.

Kudos to the inventor!

Secure Posts To Footings

And since I will be on the topic of foundations, I will remind you of the critical importance of how you connect your support post to concrete piers.

A review of common post anchors from the very basic to better looking high performance options if your support posts are going to be highly visible.

There is a job we did on an original Art Deco home that looks super and gives you a good example.

Code Proposals 2015

The building codes are constantly reviewed. Sometimes they are improved. Sometimes changes that are advanced by special interest groups like manufacturers can be good - or bad.

And then there is the way in which language is drafted that can lead to precision or confusion.

Reminds me of a short period of time in my previous life working at a law firm and experiencing first hand the problems caused by "vague" or "overly broad" drafting techniques.

I'll fill you in the key IRC building code proposals that are being vigorously discussed right now.

More Innovation From Titan Building Products

Lastly, I would like to let everyone now about the new Titan Deck Foot Anchor that includes a really cool frost release system called Terra-Shift technology. Kind of like a shock absorbing system for floating decks...

Two years of vigorous field testing in some of the most extreme climates has shown it is now ready for the real world!

Watch this short video to see yourself.

And for those who are interested, I am releasing the most advanced concealed fastener rail to post connector available... Anywhere... in early June.

The First Hidden Fastener Rail Connector...

The Shadow Rail Connector is a patent pending advancement in the category of rail connectors that will turn heads and make your deck the envy of your neighborhood.

I have put my heart and soul into this and the three year journey is almost complete.

So be sure to watch the site for updates and read the next issue of the Deck INSIDER for introductory offers.

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Have a great building season!